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Fiscal Sponsorship, Networking, and
Consulting for Artists
Overview
Incubator Services
Partnerships
Past & Current Members
Membership Requirements & Procedures
Overview
The Intersection Incubator provides its members with assistance in funding, developing, and promoting their artistic work. A full program of services and partnerships is available, including continuing education, networking opportunities, access to consultants, and resources for fundraising. Through fiscal sponsorship in particular, the program encourages funding agencies and contributors to take risks in funding new projects and emerging artists, ensuring that funds are well-managed and spent according to the funder's guidelines. Currently the Intersection Incubator provides support to more than 100 art projects and organizations across numerous disciplines and levels of experience, representing the extraordinary diversity of the San Francisco Bay Area cultural community.
We believe that collaboration makes Intersection a bigger and more necessary place, creating a home base for artists to develop their work and earn a living. We have been providing incubation and fiscal sponsorship since 1977, as an integral part of our organizational mission.
Every time I go to Intersection, I feel like anything is possible! -Naomi Rifkin, Brushfire Painting Workshops
Incubator Services
The Intersection Incubator offers fiscal sponsorship, management expertise and professional relationships to artists who lack their own administrative experience and infrastructure. Membership in the Intersection Incubator entitles you to the following services:
- Access to charitable grants and tax-deductible contributions through fiscal sponsorship, including monetary or in-kind donations
- Resources for identifying available grants, including training on common applications
- Staff consultation on writing appeal letters, grant applications and reports to funders
- Formal acknowledgment to funding sources, including tax deduction letters to donors for cash or in-kind contributions (as permitted by law)
- Administration of grant funds to ensure that expenditures are in keeping with original proposals and contracts
- Ability to receive credit card donations via our website
- Management of funds deposited at Intersection, including bookkeeping, IRS reporting, check-writing, and quarterly account statements
- Tracking of fees paid to individuals and administration of 1099 tax forms
- Promotional assistance, including links from our website, use of Intersection's mailing list, and a location for promotional materials in Intersection's lobby
- Listserv for seeking advice and resources from other members
- Newsletter featuring upcoming classes and funding opportunities
- Reduced rates for rental of Intersection's facilities and/or technical equipment
- Ticket discounts for performances at Intersection
Please note that the Intersection Incubator does NOT itself award grants or apply for grants on behalf of its members. Instead, it provides Incubator Members with the access and resources to apply for outside funding sources that are legally restricted to funding only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Click here for more information on the concept of fiscal sponsorship.
Partnerships
Through community partnerships, we provide access to discounted classes and consulting services in fundraising, marketing, arts administration, event planning, and legal issues. These opportunities include:
- Members-only classes in grant-seeking through the Foundation Center
- Grant deadline updates and orientations to specific applications through Nancy E. Quinn Associates
- Courses in arts marketing and special events planning through the Business Arts Council
- Workshops on legal issues and access to lawyers through California Lawyers for the Arts
- Classes on a wide range of arts management topics through the East Bay Resource Center for Nonprofit Support, Theatre Bay Area, and the Small Business Administration
The postings on grantmakers are very helpful. Thanks for being such great fiscal sponsors. - Kate Connell, Our Work Life
Past & Current Members
We support artists across a wide diversity of disciplines, including writers, filmmakers, visual artists, musicians, publishers, arts educators, multi-disciplinary groups, and a large number of dance and theater companies. Many past Incubator Members have gone on to have lasting impact, including Youth Speaks, Galeria de la Raza, George Coates Performance Works, Flyaway Productions, Summerfest Dance, San Francisco Blues Festival, Manic D Press, Heyday Books, Crowded Fire Theater Company, Killing My Lobster, and A Traveling Jewish Theater. And our current Incubator Members include numerous exciting and influential artists such as the San Francisco Black Film Festival, Erika Shuch Performance Project, Felonious: onelovehiphop, Kitchen Sink Magazine, Winston Smith, and Campo Santo. Please check out the full list of our current Incubator Members.
I don't imagine there's any way we would have wound up relocating to San Francisco if it hadn't been for Intersection. - Corey Fischer, A Traveling Jewish Theatre
Membership Requirements & Procedures
Contracts: Contracts are signed for a duration of approximately one year, at which time a renewal form must be submitted and a new contract signed.
Grant Applications: Intersection must be informed of the intent to apply for any grants prior to their submission, at least one week beforehand if supporting materials are being requested. For the first grant written for any aspect of the project, a draft must be submitted to Intersection at least one week in advance, and approval must be obtained. Thereafter, Intersection must receive copies of any applications or correspondence with funders. Submission of final reports are the responsibility of the Incubator Member.
Fees: As an administrative fee, Intersection retains 10% of all funds deposited with us. This applies to funds secured from either contributed sources (ie: foundation grants, individual donors) or earned sources (ie: ticket sales, class tuitions, contracted services). Please note that Incubator Members are permitted to house their earned income in a separate bank account of their own, but are liable for taxes and responsible for any IRS filings related to this income. The standard administrative fee is lowered to 5% for: 1) any project activity over $50,000 in a given fiscal year, or 2) unrestricted funds deposited with Intersection in the first 30 days of membership. We do not charge a fee for receiving in-kind contributions on behalf of our members.
Accessing Funds: Incubator Members must comply with all restrictions or requirements imposed on funds by their donors. Funds are available for disbursement one week after funds are deposited with Intersection. Funds may be released for expense reimbursements, payment to vendors, or payments to individuals for services rendered. (Please note that Intersection does NOT advance lump sums to projects.) In order to receive disbursements, the project must submit to Intersection a Request for Payment form along with appropriate receipts or invoices. Checks are issued once each week -- requests received by Wednesday are processed and available on Friday.
In addition, Incubator Members are required to:
- Spend funds deposited with Intersection only for purposes of the charitable project, in accordance with the approved project budget
- Inform Intersection promptly regarding any changes in the project's plan, the project's tax status, or the project's leadership
- Retain Intersection as their only fiscal sponsor throughout the duration of the contract
- Keep Intersection informed of all activities, and include Intersection in all mailings announcing public events
- Provide drafts of any letters to be mailed to potential donors
- Report to the IRS any income paid by Intersection directly to project personnel for work related to the project
- Secure liability insurance for all events, covering both participants and spectators
- Acknowledge the Intersection Incubator on the project's website, mailers, posters, programs and publications
- If it is a group project, file for a separate Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) on behalf of the project. Call the IRS at (800) 829-4933 or click the links below:
SS-4 form
SS-4 instructions
Please note that Intersection does not influence the content or creative aspects of projects. Copyright and ownership of intellectual property remain with the artists, and in return they must indemnify Intersection from all related liability.
Intersection for the Arts has been a steadfast supporter, sponsor and mentor. Were it not for your initial belief in my company, my abilities as an artist and as an artistic director, Brisas de Espana could not have reached the level that we are at today. - Carolina Lugo, Brisas de Espana de California
For more information, please contact:
Yesenia Sanchez, Program Director: Fiscal Sponsorship & Incubation (Office Hrs: Tues.-Fri.) yesenia@theintersection.org 415/626-2787
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